IN YOUR OPINION

Letters to the Editor for Oct. 13, 2013

Published: Sunday, October 13, 2013 at 6:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, October 11, 2013 at 3:04 p.m.

No compromise

The GOP problem is how can they raise the debt limit without shattering the Republican Party.

The tea party wants to prevent any increase of the debt ceiling — they are oblivious or simply don't care about the consequences. But what's left of the Republican Party that isn't this extreme understands what not raising the debt ceiling will do and is trying to find some way to avoid a split in the GOP and still raise the debt ceiling.

The problem is gerrymandering. The extremist tea party representatives are in highly contrived districts that lack swing voters, removing any need, or even the ability, to compromise on anything. The slightest compromise is seen as a betrayal subjecting the compromiser to a well-funded challenge from the right.

The GOP has been courting the crazies for a long time, desperately holding on to power with a changing demographic that spells doom for this mostly white men's party. Now the tea party is making governing the country impossible.

The tea party crazies came to Washington to destroy, not govern. The very idea of compromise, not only with the Democrats but with moderate Republicans in their own party, is simply not on the table.

Bob Zannelli

Ocala

Schools is trouble

My faith in the people of Marion County is somewhat restored. At least letters are being sent to the Star-Banner, reflecting the need for additional funds for our schools.

As a recent volunteer, I can attest to the fact that the elimination of teaching assistants, or helpers, has placed an extra burden on all of our already overburdened teachers.

Many times I have spoken with friends and asked why School Board members are paid. This is unheard of in the northeast part of our country, where schools produce some of the best educational programs in the country.

Simple items like staplers, staples and paper clips are at a premium. The budget allows for just so much money and when it's gone, there is nowhere for the teachers to turn except to their own pocketbooks.

No one argues that these are difficult economic times, but our children should be a No. 1 priority. It takes money to run a school system, more money than is currently allotted to Marion County.

We want the best, yet no one wants to pay for it. That simply is not possible.

Eileen CarolMarie Smith

Ocala

Anti-incumbency

With this latest government shutdown, members of Congress, especially House Republicans, have shown where their true commitments lay. And the good of the nation and its people are not their first priority.

After whichever lobby they are obligated to, their next big loyalty is to their party. And they vote along those lines before giving any thought to what the people who gave them their office might feel about an issue. Like letting the government shut down because they want another shot at the Affordable Care Act. Instead of taking that issue up at another time, they are willing to let things come apart.

From how it looks out here, the longer they drag this on, the more services we will be losing. Not to mention more layoffs for government employees, contractors and concessionaires. But since they are all still getting paid, it makes no difference to the members.

How is this helping anybody or making the nation better? It's times like these that make me think maybe the anti-incumbency movement had a point. Like the old saying goes, “Throw the bums out!”

Jim Bles

Summerfield

Vision of the springs

While Silver Springs is just outside the city limits of Ocala, all of Ocala east of I-75 is within the primary Silver Springs springshed and has impact on the health of the spring and river.

The Silver Springs Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection, preservation, and restoration of Silver Springs, sent a questionnaire to all candidates running for City Council in the election coming up on Tuesday. The questions asked for the vision the candidate has for the new Silver Springs State Park, and how the City of Ocala could help address some of the issues facing the springs.

One candidate, Suzy Heinbockel, responded, and her answers have been posted on our website (www.silverspringsalliance.org ). We will post any future responses we may receive until close of business Monday. We do not endorse any specific candidate and hope everyone will look at the answers and all work together to bring Silver Springs back to the natural asset we know it to be.

Lisa K. Saupp

Silver Springs Alliance

Ocala

Held hostage

I'm so tired of reading about people saying Medicare and Social Security are entitlements.

One of my jobs at the company I worked for was doing payroll. Every week, all workers paid into Medicare and Social Security. Now, because the government for years and years has borrowed the money, seems like we, who worked and paid into it, are the ones who are accused of thinking we are entitled to our own money.

What about those who never lived to collect anything, what happened to their money? Did senators and Congress pay into their free lifetime pensions and medical care? I think not. Now they are holding the country hostage because they don't want the Affordable Care Act.

Nothing was done for seniors when we were forced into Medicare Part D when President George W. Bush was in office.

There are more people in the country who are so greedy — it's all about them. What happened to helping our fellow man and caring about each other? Where has the great country we all loved gone? No one seems to care anymore. It is so sad.

Norma Alexander

Ocala

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